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by rlv-dan 2104 days ago
How long do you need to fast for benefits? Is water the only supplement allowed? Curious
3 comments

I have a book called Fasting and Eating for Health by Joel Fuhrman MD (ISBN 0-312-18719-X). In it, he recommends fasting for between 10 - 15 days around once every 10 years.

I have actually completed a 10 day water only fast a few months ago (good use of lockdown), it takes my body around 4 to 5 days to switch completely to ketosis, then to the end of the fast I was burning through 1 pound/~0.5 kg of fat per day. You can watch it happen every morning when you weigh yourself.

0.5kg of fat contain 4500 calories, how did you burn 4500 calories per day?
woow, other comment recommending fifteen day fast is a) dangerous and b) doesn't answer your question??

i fast twice per week for ~30 hours and drink copious amounts of tea and coffee. but intermittent fasting also works, the really important information is that ketosis can begin after as little as 12 hours, so basically fast for a minimum 14 hours if you want any effect at all, and everything after that is bonus. no extras in your coffees btw, though a splash of milk / coconut oil in your breakfast coffee is acceptable :)

Where is the evidence that a 15 day fast is dangerous?
i think it would be premature to assume that it had universality in the same way as something like intermittent fasting.

the possibly dangerous part is recommending that particular part of the book in response to a query asking for how long one needs to fast to feel the effects.